Energy Issues Spark Unity (NAPSA)—There are few issues in America today that can bring together Republicans and Democrats, unions and management, red states and blue states, academia and religion, and young and old. One such issue is our ever-increasing need for energy to power our homes and businesses and keep our economy moving forward. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that the nation will need 45 percent more electricity by 2030. To meet this increased demand, Americans want energy sources that are clean, reliable and proven. In fact, a recent survey reveals Americans are looking for clean, affordable, domestically produced energy—and the majority are favorable to nuclear energy. Indeed, nuclear energy is experiencing a renaissance. This past April, Christine Todd Whitman, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and former Governor of New Jersey, and Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder and former leader of Greenpeace, announced the formation of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition—also known as the CASEnergy Coalition. The coalition was formed to educate Americans about the benefits of and garner support for nuclear energy. As Co-Chairs of the CASEnergy Coalition, Whitman and Moore have called on all Americans to @ join them in supporting the use of nuclear power as a clean, safe, reliable and cost-effective way to balance America’s energy demands and protect the environment. Support is growing. Those who have heeded the call include unlikely alliances of groups and organizations that seldom share a common cause on a major issue. Coalition members include groups as diverse as the United States Chamber of Commerce, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Council on Science and Health and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. All Americansare affected by our nation’s energy policy. Seniors are concerned about energy reliability and affordability, while many young people focus on environmentally friendly sources for our electricity needs. Nuclear power’s environmental impact— including the “footprint” of the plant site—is among the lowest of any major energy source. And it currently supplies 20 percent of our electricity, reliably and affordably. As different as they are in many respects, CASEnergy members are united in their belief that nuclear energy provides one important part of a diversified mix of dependable energy sources to fulfill America’s growing energy needs.
